Only in the Moonlight Can There Be an After
by IceBlueStar
Summary: So Sasuke saves Sakura during the war and can't understand why. She was his enemy wasn't she? But maybe just for tonight she didn't have to be. Sasusaku one-shot


Wow I feel like I haven't posted a story on here in forever. Which is probably true. Well I've been hung up on Young Justice lately so I haven't really thought of Naruto. Finally I got an idea for a Sasusaku and thanks to a little mouse loose in my room keeping me up all night I finished it. Now here it is. Just a fic about Sasuke saving Sakura during the way that turned into him thinking about his future.

So anyway enjoy!

* * *

The battle ground was only a few yards away from where Sasuke was fighting Zetsu. He could hear the fighting as he dispatched another of Zetsu's clones. In the middle of his attack he saw a bunch of the clones go running toward the war zone. "We have the hospital under attack, we need assistance," one clone told the others.

Sasuke's ears perked at the word hospital. Did the allies only have one hospital base? Or were there multiple sites? Sasuke's head was spinning. Why should he be concerned about the fate of the shinobi fighting? They meant nothing to him, he wanted to destroy them, didn't he? Then why was there this nagging feeling in the back of his mind? Why did the sight of the Zetsu's running toward the shinobi make him want to follow and stop them before they reached the hospital? He had to shake this feeling of concern. He didn't care. There was no one there that he wanted to protect.

"Target the top medic!" One of them shouted.

_'Tsunade? She would be out fighting, wouldn't she?'_

"Kill the pink haired woman!" The head one yelled. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat._ No. No. NO! Not her! _He wouldn't let them get her. Sasuke went running ahead of the Zetsu's trying to beat them to the fallen hospital. He jumped up into the trees trying to stay hidden from the fighting shinobi. He couldn't afford to get into a fight with one of them before he reached Sakura.

He perched himself on a branch near the edge of the clearing where the ninja from all the different villages were. There was so much action going on that he couldn't make out who were the enemy and who were the allies. On the opposite edge of the confusion he spotted a flash of pink. He locked in on it and realized it was Sakura in the middle of defending a fallen comrade from Zetsu.

The fallen ninja got out of range of the danger, but Sakura tripped backwards as Zetsu neared her. Sasuke's body reacted before his mind could and managed to get between the Akatsuki member and his old teammate. He sent Zetsu crashing back into the other clones and stood firmly over Sakura his sword drawn.

"Get away from her," he spoke slowly emphasising the threat hidden in his words.

"Sasuke?!" He heard from the pinkette behind him say. He glanced over his shoulder to see Sakura laying on the ground staring up at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you. What do you think?" He said blocking an attack from a Zetsu clone.

Sakura stood slowly and looked at him, "Are you crazy? If the other shinobi see you they'll attack you, too." She warned while glaring at him. "Speaking of which..." She ran forward to punch him only to have him grab her wrist.

"What are you doing?"

"You tried to kill me last time I saw you!" She yelled trying to punch him again as he dodged.

"Can we talk about that after the war?" Sasuke pushed her behind him and ran his sword through one of their attackers. Sakura punched one of the Zetsu's sending it flying into a rock. "Make sure all your patients are safe." Despite her anger with him she nodded and turned to the half collapsed tent where injured shinobi were laying helplessly.

Soon the battle gained some attention and more shinobi came to defend the hospital giving Sasuke a chance to slip away unnoticed. He was pretty tired from the fight and had sustaned some injuries he had ignored until that point. He didn't go far from where the allies where stationed, half because he was injured and half because he was concerned about another attack.

He leaned against a tree trying to patch up his wounds. He couldn't understand why he'd gone to the rescue of the allies or why when he saw Sakura being attacked he felt so protective.

All he knew was he wanted her out of that grim situation and safe away from the war. Sasuke knew it was impossible though; Sakura would never leave people who truly needed her help.

* * *

Later that night Sasuke was drifting in and out of consciousness still resting in the same place he was before. A few feet away he heard rustling as if someone were heading toward him. He stood and gripped his sword ready to fight whoever it was until he heard a voice whispering, "Sasuke? Are you still here?"

He peaked around the tree to see Sakura wandering through the forest. He sighed. What was she doing out here by herself? Had he not just risked his life trying to protect her? Now she was out on her own, looking for him nonetheless, while the enemy could be anywhere. He was evem an enemy of the allies who was trying to destroy Konoha. Why did he want to do that again? What was his reason for wanting that? Ever since he'd been away from Madara his reasons for doing things were getting more and more confused.

When Sakura passed by his tree he grabbed her from behind making sure to cover her mouth so she wouldn't scream. "What are you doing out here?" He ased so she knew it was him.

Sakura ripped her way out of his grip and turned to face him. "I could ask you the same question. What were you thinking showing up like that today?" She crossed her arms waiting for him to give her some acceptable excuse.

Sasuke thought a moment. He wasn't even entirely sure why he'd shown up there. His body had moved on its own accord and before he knew it he had this staggering desire to protect his old teammate.

He sighed, "I don't know why I was there."

"What do you mean you don't know? You just turned up there accidentally?" She interrogated further.

"Look Sakura I over heard the Zetsu's talking and heard who they were going to attack so I followed them." He explained beginning to get frustrated with her.

"They were coming to attack the allies. You should have known that, you are on their side after all." She looked confused. _Why would he have been surprised?_

He slide down the tree he was leaning on and sat with his knees up. "I'm on no side. They weren't after just the army. They were after a specific person."

"Who?" She asked genuinely curious to know who was so important that they would take precedence over an army.

He turned his head to look up at her. The moonlight shown brightly on her short pink locks and made her green eyes look twice as fierce. It had been some time since he'd seen her like this if ever. He marveled at how beautiful she'd become in the few short years he'd been away. _Short? _They had been anything but short - for both of them. She'd probably never know it, but when things became too much to bare he'd lay in bed thinking of the last night they'd seen each other in the village. He'd think of how she looked laying on the stone bench, cheeks stained with tears as moonbeams bounced off her face. It was odd that a memory of her in such a vulnerable state calmed him, but it did. Maybe it had something to do with the promise she'd made him that night. That everything would be alright if he was with her; on those nights he wanted to believe it. Whether it was that or just the peacefulness of her face that night, staring at her before him now brought all those memories flooding back.

Taking in a breath he said softly, "You. It was you."

Sakura looked shocked for a moment then smiled awkwardly. "Me? So what if they wanted me? I have a bounty on my head just for being the Hokage's apprentice," she tried being nonchalant about her possible assassination. "It's not a big deal." Right as the words spilled from her mouth she knew they were wrong and the yank on her arm that pulled her down to a kneeling position before the Uchiha only confirmed it.

"Your life is not a big deal?" His onyx eyes bore into hers as he spoke.

"Well I-"

"Are you going to tell me I risked my life and wasted my time on someone who is no big deal?" He was still holding onto her arm so she was forced to face him. She looked at the ground making him release her arm and push her away from him. "You're so annoying."

"Why did you come to save me then, Sasuke?" She asked ignoring the previous comment.

He didn't look at her. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Um. Let's see because you have tried to kill me in the past." She glared at him.

He returned her glare. "If I wanted you dead you would be by now." He sighed. "The last time we fought has been on my mind lately. Everything has been such a mess and I don't have any reason for what I've been doing. I've been in battles of no consequence to me and I hate it. I don't know what is wrong with me."

Sakura took in his words for a moment trying to fully process what he was saying. "When the war is over and Madara is defeated will you come home? Between Naruto fighting for your case with the village and what you did today I'm sure something can be worked out," she spoke softly not trying to sound like the hopeful little girl she use to be.

"I'm wanted in multiple villages for things I willingly did. Besides what home is there for me? The village was destroyed as was the Uchiha compound. I have nowhere to go." He looked at her waiting for one of her optimistic responses.

"I'll be there if you decide to come back." She shifted so she was leaning on the tree beside him. "I owe you, on more than one occasion, so I'll do what I can."

He wasn't too surprised at her offering him a place to stay, but by how calmly she said it. As if she were helping out any of her friends. That was something they couldn't be anymore it seemed. They were on different sides of the battlefield, not opposite but different. Sides were not easy to switch though he'd done it before and maybe could again. Maybe... for her.

He locked eyes with her, "Sakura, are you ever going to give up on me?"

She smiled a smile like she use to give him when they were kids. "Not even after my last breath."

He stared a moment then let himself smirk just lightly enough that she couldn't see it in the evening light. Maybe after the war, after Madara, and after he cleared his tarnished name he could have that peace she promised. "You're so-"

"Annoying. Yes I know," she finished for him turning away. He grabbed her chin and brought her face back to his.

"No. Beautiful," he said before giving into his desires and kissed her.

After the sudden shock she regained herself and pulled away. "Is this one of those not being able to think correctly things?" She looked as if she would break if he said it was.

His smirk grew at her question. "No, I'm actually beginning to think clearly." He kissed her again before she could object. They stayed together absorbed in the possibilities of the future. Neither caring to think of the present or of the war, no both were too concentrated on the after that could be.

Maybe a happily ever after could be.

* * *

How was it? Considering I haven't written in a while or really read any sasusaku fics I was pretty happy with it. Though I'm still really interested to know your opinions on it so please review.


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